The American Dental Association recommends switching to a new toothbrush every three to four months. Dr. Pace, Dr. Pace Jr. and Dr. Sullivan and our dental experts here at Belle Meade Family Dentistry in Nashville agree. You should get replace your toothbrush frequently because the bristles of the brush begin to break down and aren’t as effective at cleaning teeth, not to mention they can become more abrasive to enamel.
But that doesn’t mean you need to throw that old toothbrush away. Why not recycle, upcycle or reuse for some other household need?
Here’s a list of 10 new uses for that old toothbrush:
1. Use your old toothbrush to clean your hair dryer. The bristles are great for combing out the dust in the filter of your hairdryer. Cleaning helps it run better and last longer!
2. Make an upcycled bracelet out of your child’s old toothbrush.

3. Clean the fish tank. Keep an old toothbrush handy when cleaning your fish tank – works well for scraping green gunk off the sides!
4. Clean the dryer lint filter. Just like cleaning the hair dryer, the bristles work great for catching lint and dust.
5. Use an old toothbrush to clean jewelry! The bristles are perfect for reaching into tiny spots and aren’t too harsh for most gems and metals.

6. Kids can use old toothbrushes to dig for & clean “fossils” in the backyard.
7. Use to remove splinters. Make a paste with a little water and about 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda. Apply this paste to the affected area. Wait 20 minutes. Then “brush” the splinter out!
8. Write on the handle with permanent marker and use old toothbrushes as stakes to identify plants in the garden.
9. Use to groom & brush your hamster or other small long-haired pet.
10. Use to clean between slats of mini blinds.
Make sure you thoroughly clean an old toothbrush before you try any of these new uses. Simply soak the old toothbrush in a bleach-based solution to get rid of germs and rinse well with water. Then label it with a permanent marker to indicate it is a cleaning brush.
Be sure to keep your teeth healthy by taking our advice and changing your toothbrush often! For more information on oral care follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Contact us today for an appointment with Dr. Pace, Dr. Pace, Jr. or Dr. Sullivan! Belle Meade Family Dentistry is at 104 Kenner Avenue in Nashville. Call us at (615) 298-2030 or email us at bellemeadedental@comcast.net